As I wrote yesterday, I used coffee dregs in a mixture with soil for my pine seeds. I’ve read a bit about recycling coffee dregs and coffee grounds and there are an amazing number of things you can do with that “aromatic waste”.

Using Coffee Grounds and Coffee Dregs As A Fertilizer

First of all, you can use it as a fertilizer. Apparently, it will mainly effect the leaves and help them grow. Unfortunately, I cannot find the source any longer.

You can also use coffee as an organic pest control. Even in Parks and Recreations, they featured coffee as a slug-repellent! I read that it also works for (or rather against) moles … and cats. But who would want to repel cats?! I had some tiny insects in some of my pots which had come with the soil. I added some ground coffee on top of the soil. They’re not dead yet, but I’m hopeful. And it smelled sooo nice when I watered the plants!

Recycling Coffee Dregs Into Pots

During my research, I came across that company that recycles coffee dregs into plant pots. Just google it, I don’t want to help them with their SEO to much. That sounds like a beautiful idea for bonsai pots! You only need some casts, but I have plenty of LEGO to work with.

Then I came across a related matter: Animal coffins made of recycled coffee and other organic material. I guess one could use that material for bio-degradable pots. I found some “recipes” for organic glue, which in combination with coffee grounds and other stuff could be used. I’ve used up all my coffee dregs already, so I cannot try today. But there is plenty of supply at the office!

Using Coffee for Dyeing

Then, you can use coffee for dyeing fibers and other things like eggs for Easter. Somewhere I read that someone used it as a henna substitute for making tattoos. I won’t go into more detail, because this is not my area of expertise – not that the above areas were….

You can also use it as a peeling for cleaning your skin. And for odor control…

Recycling Idea for Egg Cartons

When I singled my lemon seedlings into the bio-degradable pots yesterday, I struck me that the material was not unlikely to the material of egg cartons. So when my co-workers cooked Eggs in Mustard Sauce today, I asked them to keep the egg cartons for me. Back at home, I used one of them and turned it into a nursery pot battery.

Egg Carton Turned into Nursery Pots

You don’t need to cut the spikes, I just felt they were superfluous. I will write later what I used them for.

Got the lights and the second greenhouse today and voilà there it is. The bulbs give off a pinkish light which is rather disturbing, because I don’t like pink, but I guess I have to make sacrifices for the little plants.

I had decided to go for the IKEA hack after all, because I figured that it would leave me with less work – although I love DIY – and would cost me less. I’ve added my idea to the ikeahackers website, but it might take a while to get accepted, so I’m gonna describe it here as well.

IVAR Plant Nursery (without Greenhouses)

Lamp Holder Thingy

Lamp Holder Thingy attached

IKEA hack: Plant Nursery made of IVAR

I used some parts from IKEA and some from a hardware store. Some of the hardware store things could be replaced by IKEA products.

IKEA

hardware store

2 x IVAR Side unit 124×30

3-4x IVAR Shelf 42×30

1x OBSERVATÖR Cross-brace

wood preservative

2x lamp holder

plywood 15.5cmx56cm

extension cable

(4x castor roller)

2x light bulbs for plants (actually
ordered on amazon, but I think
they’re available in a hardware store

The castor rollers are optional. However, I’ll place the nursery in front of my balcony door (indoors) and in case I wanna use the balcony in winter (for refilling the bird house, for example), I can easily push it aside.

If you wanna build it as well, you’ll also need:

hole saw (for the lamp holder)

saw

fret saw

sand paper

screwdriver (plus a small one for the lustre terminal)

drill

wood glue

screws

Stanley knife

paintbrush

wood for the lamp holder thingy

As you can see on the pictures, I left some parts unstained. These are the parts that hold the lights in winter. When I put the plant nursery on my balcony during summer time, I won’t need the electric lights and will take off the unstained parts.

Hidden Lustre Terminal

I cut the socket part off the extension cable and connected the two lamp holder cables with it with a lustre terminal. That didn’t look so nice and also seemed a bit dangerous, in case my little nephew comes to visit, so I hid that in an old film can, just cut a hole in the bottom and one in the lid.

The plywood was used for the Japanese style gable. I had planned on having one on either side, but that sawing was way too exhausting. So, one will have to do.

I’ve only put that one mini greenhouse in for the photo, the other one is on its way to me, as are the light bulbs. There is a very nice IKEA hack for mini greenhouses, though. If I need more greenhouses in the future, I might try that. Although mine have little openings in the lid for ventilation…

This is what I would like to build for my balcony to house the seedlings. I could actually build it now and place it indoors in front of the balcony door…
However, neither having a car nor even a driving license, getting the material home is quite difficult, especially the larger parts and the paint.

An idea to house a single small plant. Just use a cleaned jar turned upside down. If you don’t want to buy a small greenhouse, you can upcycle some jars. Provided you have really small pots or large jars. You could glue or screw the lid to a larger piece of wood and have an array of jar-greenhouses. Might also be a nice DIY idea for children.